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Dear Readers,
On 19 October 2021, the Commission will submit its work programme for the forthcoming year. This specifically concerns the planned legislative initiatives and their publication dates. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen already gave initial indications of these in her speech on the state of the European Union, on 15 September (see Letter of Intent). Among other things, she envisages tightening up the Green Deal and pushing ahead with digital transformation.
Germany is currently the focus of attention in Europe. Tension mounts as we wait to see which coalition is going to rule Europe’s strongest economy. The process is likely to be a tough one, taking several months and paralysing important decision-making processes. Meanwhile the Commission has pressing issues to deal with in October. The agenda includes plans for banking regulation, sustainable corporate governance, digital transformation and the health union.
One particularly important date is the meeting of the Commission in Brussels on 13 October. The Commission wants to publish a communication on how to deal with the huge increase in energy prices - a development which could jeopardise the fragile economic recovery following the Corona crisis.
Interested?
Then I wish you an enjoyable read.
Best wishes
Dr. Jörg Köpke |
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| "I have stated such consequences publicly time and again since the end of 2016": Former EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier says rising energy prices in the UK and the EU are a consequence of Brexit in a interview with German newspaper WELT. |
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| Latest EU Proposals in Focus of the cep |
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Rising energy prices: Commission plans to publish guidelines
On 13 October, the Commission intends to publish a communication to provide guidance to Member States on how to deal with the current increase of energy prices. Many Member States are currently planning to relieve consumers and small businesses at least partially from the rise in energy costs, for example by reducing energy taxes or direct support payments. The announced guidelines are intended to ensure that these national relief measures are in line with EU state aid law and EU climate policy. |
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Trucks and buses: monitoring of CO2 emissions
Under the Regulation on the monitoring and reporting of CO2 emissions and fuel consumption of new trucks and buses ("heavy duty vehicles") [(EU) 2018/956; see cepPolicyBrief 27/2017], the Commission intends to require Member States to report the number of drive axles of trucks and buses. The necessary delegated regulation is to be adopted in the coming weeks. |
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Banking regulation: Final steps to implement Basel III
In response to the financial crisis, in 2013 the EU passed numerous new provisions, by way of the Capital Requirements Regulation and Directive, to strengthen the resilience of the banking sector, thereby implementing the requirements of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (Basel III). On 27 October 2021, the Commission again wants to revise the Capital Requirements Regulation and Directive in order to implement additional Basel III requirements submitted between 2017 and 2019. This aims to restrict the banks’ room for manoeuvre. In future, it will be more difficult for financial institutions to use their own models to calculate lower capital requirements. The aim is to enable better and more reliable comparison of banks’ capital ratios. |
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Sustainability: Companies will take account of employees’ interests and environmental protection
On 27 October, the Commission is expected to submit its legislative package on sustainable corporate governance. Companies are to be required to take measures for reducing risks to the environment, climate and human rights. In addition, corporate management will be encouraged to take greater account of the interests of all stakeholders. The aim is to ensure that, in addition to the pursuit of profit, the interests of employees and environmental protection are also taken into consideration as well. |
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Digital transformation: The Commission wants to revise competition policy
On 27 October, the Commission is expected to submit its initiative for a revision of EU competition policy. It will centre on European competition law. The aim is to tackle the challenges of the digital age. |
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Fighting pandemics: Trilogue negotiations on creating a Health Union start
The Commission, Council and Parliament are starting trilogue negotiations on two regulation proposals for Regulations on an EU Health Union. The focus is on strengthening Brussels’ position when it comes to disease prevention and control (see cepPolicyBrief 17/2021) as well as a new regulation on handling serious cross-border threats to health (see cepPolicyBrief 19/2021). |
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| The EU Commission regularly asks stakeholders and interested parties from civil society for their opinion. Here is our short-list of the most important consultations: |
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Crisis prevention: Contingency plan for transport
The Commission wants to create a contingency plan for transport. The plan aims to establish a “crisis manual” containing actions to mitigate any negative impact on the transport sector, passengers and the internal market, in the event of a crisis. The Commission is using the consultation to gain an overview of experiences in the transport sector resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The submission period for opinions ends on 26 October 2021.
Go to consultation |
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EU Pharmaceutical Strategy: Revision of pharmaceutical legislation will secure supply
As part of the implementation of the Pharmaceutical Strategy (see cepPolicyBrief of the Centres for European Policy Network) the EU Commission wants to revise general pharmaceutical legislation, particularly the Directive on the Community code relating to medicinal products for human use [(EC) 2001/83] and the Regulation laying down Union procedures for the authorisation and supervision of medicinal products for human and veterinary use [(EC) 726/2004]. The legislation lays down the authorisation procedures and the manufacturing, authorisation as well as post-authorisation requirements for medicines. Through this consultation, the Commission aims to gather the views of stakeholders and the general public to help revise existing legislation to create a crisis-proof regulatory system for medicines.
The submission period for opinions ends on 21 December 2021.
Go to consultation |
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5 October
Luxembourg
Meeting of the economic and finance ministers (ECOFIN): Among other issues, the focus will be on a debate on the review of the prudential rules for insurers and reinsurers (Solvency II Review) proposed by the Commission on 22 September 2021.
7 October
Luxembourg
Meeting of the environment ministers: The provisional agenda includes discussions on the “Fit for 55” package and preparations for the conference on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), as well as an exchange of views on the new EU forest strategy for 2030.
13 October
Brussels
Meeting of the Commission: Publication of a communication on rising energy prices.
14-15 October
Online
The second annual meeting of European stakeholders from the food sector will discuss the progress of the initiatives envisaged under the “Farm to Fork” Strategy (see cepPolicyBrief of the Centres for European Policy Network) which aim to bring about a smooth transition to sustainable food systems.
21-22 October
Brussels
Meeting of the European Council of the heads of state and government: On the agenda: COVID 19, digital issues and external relations. |
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| cepPolicyBrief: Abuse of Dominance and Digital Markets Act |
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| | Tech giants like Google, Amazon or Facebook dominate the global internet market. Competition law is not enough to prevent abuse of power. The Commission therefore presented the Digital Markets Act (DMA) last December. The law is intended to prevent operators of large internet platforms from restricting competition or imposing unfair conditions.
Go to cepInput 12/2021 |
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| cepPolicyBrief: Sustainability Reporting |
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| | In the fight against corruption and for higher social and environmental standards, the European Union wants to tighten the Directive on non-financial reporting. In the future, about 15,000 companies in Germany alone are to be obliged to also present an annual report on sustainability — thirty times more than before. The Centrum für Europäische Politik (cep) has analysed the Commission's plans.
Go to cepPolicyBrief 21/2021 |
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| cepPolicyBrief: Zero Pollution Action Plan |
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| | The European Union wants to significantly reduce the pollution of air, water, soil and consumer goods by 2050. Pollutants should then be able to endanger neither human health nor the environment. The Centrum für Europäische Politik (cep) has analysed the so-called zero-pollutant target.
Go to cepPolicyBrief 20/2021 |
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| A selection from among the 30 press reports on the work of the Centrum für Europäische Politik that appeared in September 2021. |
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| | “Did the EU really mess up in the pandemic?”
In a guest article for the Hamburger Abendblatt, Professor Lüder Gerken, President of the Centrum für Europäische Politik, explains the problems faced by the European Union in dealing with the Corona pandemic, and why, under the Lisbon Treaty, Member States retain sovereignty over health policy.
Hamburger Abendblatt, 16 September 2021 |
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| | “German general election unlikely to have any great impact on the stock exchange”
According to Professor Henning Vöpel, Director of the Centrum für Europäische Politik | Berlin, the new government is facing enormous challenges. These include overcoming the Corona pandemic and making key choices on digital transformation, climate change as well as demographic and geopolitical change, which will need to be tackled without delay.
Focus, 24 September 2021 |
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| | “Brussels calls for urgency”
With a view to the result of the German general election and the formation of a new government in the Bundestag, Julien Thorel, Director of the Centre de Politique Européenne | Paris, outlines France’s concerns in the online portal Europe.Table. If FDP-boss Christian Lindner becomes Finance Minister, Paris fears that monitoring of the Maastricht fiscal criteria will be stricter than it has been under the current incumbent Olaf Scholz (SPD), says Thorel.
Europe.Table, 28 September 2021 |
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Dear Readers,
following the Bundestag elections, the formation of a future federal government is being followed with great interest by our neighbours in Europe. Our partner institutes in Rome and Paris will continue to critically observe further developments in Germany.
Stay in touch with us.
Yours
Dr. Jörg Köpke |
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